Turkish baths, in-house massage... this is a youth hostel?

By Daisy Carrington, for CNN

Updated 0231 GMT (1031 HKT) November 4, 2013

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Hangout@mt.emily, Singapore – In addition to clean dorms, Hangout offers sleek doubles and singles with views of Singapore's Mount Emily Park. The main draw, though, is the vibe. Occupants can play pool, or mingle on the rooftop deck (complete with sun chairs).

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UHostel, Madrid, Spain – In addition to spacious doubles and free wi-fi, UHostel has some boho communal spaces, like a screening room. The management regularly hosts movie nights, and other meet-and-greet activities, like cooking classes.

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The Beehive, Rome, Italy – Comfort and ecology are the main tenants of The Beehive, which is run by an American couple. The in-house cafe serves up organic breakfasts, fair trade coffees and teas and vegan dinners three times a week.

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Palmer's Lodge, London – Deluxe rooms at Palmer's Lodge, in London's Swiss Cottage neighborhood, mimic those found in traditional hotel rooms. They have en suite bathrooms, coffee machines, and even a private TV. There is a bar and restaurant on-site, and business travelers can book meeting and conference space through reception.

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Stay INN, Lisbon, Portugal – Stay Inn is less like a hostel and more like a boutique B&B. The digs are tastefully decorated, and there is a clean communal kitchen (complete with cappuccino machine) and a public lounge area with free wi-fi.

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Plus Florence, Florence, Italy – Puls Hostels have rolled out in a handful of cities, launching lavish perks wherever they set up shop. At Plus Florence (pictured), then not only have double rooms on offer but an outdoor and indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a steam room and a Turkish bath.

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Plus Berlin, Berlin, Germany – Plus Berlin also has a pool and sauna, not to mention free yoga classes and a conference room for business travelers.

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Miss Sophie's, Prague, Czech Republic – Miss Sophie's is one of four properties belonging to the Bohemian Hostel Group and is regularly extolled for its stylish, minimalist design by the likes of Lonely Planet and The Guardian.

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Lub D, Bangkok, Thaliand – Lub D, which has two locations in Bangkok, makes for a congenial stop. Both locations have a screening room, and offer up free popcorn (and hugs, just ask reception).

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Kex Hostel, Reykjavik, Iceland – Housed in an old biscuit factory in downtown Reykjavik, Kex is a great pick for business travelers on a budget. It has meeting space, an old-school boxing gym, free wi-fi, an on-site cafe and bar, and a heated patio for lounging and mingling.

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Generator Dublin, Dublin, Ireland – Generator specializes in quirky hostels, and has several locations throughout Europe. The certainly aren't shy on the perks. At the Dublin location (pictured), guests can take a dip in the jacuzzi, catch a movie in the screening room, indulge in a power shower, and fill up in the morning on a full Irish breakfast.

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Ostello Bello, Milan, Italy – Ostello Bello aims to operate like a home away from home. The Milan hostel welcomes guests with a tipple, and all rooms come with a private bathroom. There is also a guest kitchen, complete with a garden, BBQ area and hammocks. Best of all, guests can order breakfast any time they wake up, whether that's 3am or 2pm.

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Casa Garcia, Barcelona, Spain – A clean, colorful and quirky hostel, Casa Garcia has a communal kitchen for guests, free wi-fi, and free maps of Barcelona. As the name suggests, its designed to resemble a local home.

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Aventura Boutique Hostel, Budapest, Hungary – Aventura Boutique Hostel isn't your typical hostel. It doesn't have bunk beds, there's a guest kitchen for guests, and there's even an in-house massage service (perfect after a long day pounding the pavement).

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Story highlights

Gourmet restaurants and private rooms are increasingly common hostel features

As hostels change, so do their clientele. Business travelers are starting to check-in

Some hostels are even starting to reach out to businesses to grow their customer base

Hostels were once considered the dregs of the hospitality industry, often conjuring up images of cramped dorms, communal bathrooms and dirt.

Thankfully, a new breed of grown-up hostels has hit the market worldwide. Pools, Turkish baths, massages-to-order and even babysitting are the types of services becoming more mainstream in budget offerings.

"Many hostels have undergone an extreme makeover in the past few years," says Giovanna Gentile, a spokesperson for booking website HostelBookers, who notes that private, en suite rooms and free wi-fi are increasingly commonplace.

One reason for this shift, she adds, is that the median age of customers (at least according to HostelBookers' demographic) has increased.

"What you find is that hostels want to cater to a wider audience. The baby boomer generation -- who backpacked in their teens and 20s -- are now coming back to hostels because they still very much enjoy the social element," says Kash Bhattacharya, who runs the travel blog BudgetTraveller. Bhattacharya and recently published a guide called "The Luxury Hostels of Europe".

"If you check in to The Independente in Lisbon, for example, sure you'll find dorms on the bottom floor, but on the fourth floor you'll find private rooms with a Nespresso coffee machine," he says.

Gentile notes that the digital age has also played a part in changing the wants of many backpackers.

"In the past, backpacking was about exploring the world with as few possessions as possible. Today's tech-savvy generation travel with laptops, smart phones and MP3 players -- they're more encumbered than ever."

Not surprisingly, this new breed of hostel is attracting a new breed of customer; namely, business travelers.

Mathias Schwender, who runs Bohemian Hostels, a collection of upscale backpacker lodgings in Prague, estimates that roughly 10% of his clientele are business travelers -- a phenomenon he says only started happening in the last five to ten years.

"They're the type of traveler that is not just staying for work, but also wants to meet others, that's key," he says. "Plus, we offer all the basic things they need: wi-fi in rooms, an outlet for their computer and breakfast."

Get fit at PlusBerlin with free yoga classes and pool access

UHostel in Madrid has a private screening room

At Ostello Bello in Milan, you can order breakfast whenever you wake up

Recently, Schwender has even started partnering with a few local companies to place customers and visiting guests in his properties.